Traces of cultivation as a fossilized landscape

The remains of Sävsjö village are still visible today as a nature’s own museum. A prehistoric grave field from the Iron Age (500 B.C. – 1050 A.D.) shows us who long people have inhabited this place. The oldest written source that names the village is from1494 and around 1640 Sävsjö manor (säteri) is established. The small nearby farmes were evicted and the land was used as pasture land which has conserved a fossilized landscape. Here one can see the narrow fields, the stone fences that dived different areas, cairns due to cultivation, traces of terracing, pastures and different formations made of earth such as banks etc. The oldest traces are dated to around the birth of Christ.

A stone fence.

The area is open for the public and free of charge, there is an information sign (that need to be updated) and there are small paths to walk on. On a sunny day this is fine example of a fossilized landscape, the traces are clearly visible and it is a nice place for a picnic or a stroll in “wild”.

Yet another part of this beautiful area.

The fossilized landscapes at Sävsjö village or manor can be found in Lenhovda parish in Kronobergs County, Småland.More information in Swedish can be found here.

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Hello and welcome to Testimony of the spade.

My name is Magnus Reuterdahl and I am a Swedish archaeologist and osteologist. Most posts are connected to my work or my interests in general; Scandinavian archaeology, osteology, cultural heritage, literature and so forth.

On the blog Aqua Vitae (in Swedish) and Testimony of a wine (in English) junkie I blog on wine.